Omaha Hi-Lo

Omaha High-Low is a popular version of Omaha poker game. The basic rules are like in Omaha Holdem, which is based on Texas Holdem, but there are some differences which makes the game active and interesting.

In Hi-Lo games, the pot is split between the Hi hand and the Lo hand. The same cards may be used in declaring Hi and Lo.

One hand may win both the Hi and the Lo halves of the pot. A frequent example of this is "the Wheel", consisting of an Ace-2-3-4-5.

If there is no qualifying hand for Lo, the best Hi hand wins the whole pot.

In the division of the pot, the Hi hand receives any odd chip.

Otherwise, all the regular rules of each game apply except that a qualifier of 8-or-better for the Lo hand applies unless a specific statement to the contrary is made. This means that the winning low hand can only contain cards of the value under 9. Hence in Flop games, the Flop must contain three cards of the value of 8 or lower.

In order to qualify for the low half of the pot, the low hand must be 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 or lower. That's why this game is called "8 or better", or simply "Omaha 8".

Interesting moment of Omaha High-Low rules is that straights and flushes do not count against you when qualifying for Low. Also you are permitted to use different cards in your hand for the High side and different cards for the Low side or the same cards for both the High and Low sides. In a split pot, any leftover odd chip goes to the High side of the pot. A few casinos play with a 9-low qualifier instead, but this is not very popular.

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